EXCLUSIVE: Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel Resort 2026

Even though Chanel presented its resort 2026 collection last spring at a fashion show staged on the shores of Lake Como, the brand has now released an updated, tightly edited lookbook—one clearly marked by Matthieu Blazy’s very visible touch. It is a far cry from the post–Virginie Viard studio work: no more dorky-looking dresses that dominated the brand over the past few years. What emerges instead is a vision of a truly contemporary woman wearing Chanel.

Relaxed styles, conceived from morning to evening, revolve around the eternal little black jacket, worn either with a matching tweed mini-skirt or with flared jeans – naturally, with flats. Although the look is instantly familiar, the jacket’s lines feel sharper and cooler. A creased velvet slip dress, finished with a camellia brooch, appears easy and chic when paired with mid-heeled two-toned pumps. The super-soft cardigan-jacket in the creamiest shade of ecru? It recalls the best of Karl Lagerfeld’s finest collections, like the spring 1999 couture line-up where he did similar fitted styles with plunging necklines.

This lookbook, arriving under Blazy’s creative direction, reads as a smooth foretaste of his debut runway collection, soon to hit stores. The pajama shirt hints at the forthcoming Charvet collaboration, while the boxy grey suit feels like a simpler, more day-appropriate version of the show’s opening look. It is refreshing to see Matthieu Blazy’s vision of the Chanel woman outside the context of runway spectacle – just highly-aspirational ideas for how to wear the brand in 2026.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Swaggering. Soshiotsuki SS26

Menswear fashion month kicked off with its brightest emerging star: Soshiotsuki, the Tokyo-based brand rooted in 1980s-inspired sartorial craftsmanship, recalling the glamour and prosperity of Japan’s Bubble Era. Back in September, following Giorgio Armani’s still-unbelievable passing, I wrote that Soshi Otsuki was the designer the Italian mega-brand should consider in the near future. With his guest show at Pitti Uomo and his autumn–winter 2026 collection, he confirms that belief.

The LVMH Prize winner delivered a line-up that sharpened his tailoring ideas while expanding the vision of who the Soshiotsuki man is. One look featured a trompe l’œil jumpsuit combining a button-up shirt and trousers – a moment that recalled Phoebe Philo’s early Céline collections and sparked a question: why has no one adapted this idea to menswear sooner? Another highlight was the sashiko suit and jeans, created in collaboration with Proleta Re Art, a Japanese brand known for its painstakingly hand-stitched fabrics reinterpreted through streetwear. The silver-fox model seemed to gaze beyond in that grey, distressed-looking suit.

Then there are the details that make Soshiotsuki stand out even among affluent-men favorites such as Zegna or Berluti. Extra fabric is built into the inside placket of a shirt to suggest a tucked-in necktie, while trousers are given reams of belt loops or draped with so many pleats that they hang like curtains. The effect? A dapper, swaggering handsomeness – intoxicating, like the smell of smoke in a high-end izakaya.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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Mumbo-Jumbo. Balenciaga Pre-Fall 2026

The more I live, the more I understand that compromise isn’t a good thing. And that becomes evident in Pierpaolo Piccioli’s second attempt at Balenciaga. You might remember that I wasn’t satisfied with what I saw at his debut. Yet I thought, with sincere hope, that first tries are difficult and that the next season would be better. And here we are with the brand’s co-ed pre-fall 2026 lookbook: a collection that once again feels like a chaotic mash-up of Demna, Nicolas Ghesquière, and – oh lord – Alexander Wang’s era at the house. The merchandise floor was far too involved in designing this collection, seemingly trying to please everyone at Kering. READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE.

ED’s SELECTION:

Balenciaga Le City Medium Textured-leather Tote


Balenciaga Belted Plush Coat


Balenciaga Avenue Palazzo Crystal-embellished Bow-detailed Satin Sandals


Balenciaga Cat-eye Printed Acetate Sunglasses


Balenciaga Cape-effect Floral-print Plissé-crepe Gown

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.
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